The Ruta dos Zapateiros will hold its fourth edition on October 3 between Vilanova dos Infantes and Allariz

The banks of the Arnoia River will once again witness the passage of the Ruta dos Zapateiros. The Vilanova dos Infantes Neighborhood Association, together with A Broa Sendeirismo, the Patoblanco Club, the Silva Escura Association, Auria Peritaciones, and with the collaboration of the communities of Celanova, A Bola, A Merca, and Allariz, as well as the Provincial Council of Ourense, will make the fourth edition of the Ruta dos Zapateiros possible. This recreational and cultural event revives and highlights one of the historic trades most closely associated with Vilanova dos Infantes: that of the “zapateiros.”

The event will take place next Saturday, October 3, with the hike starting at 9:00 a.m. from the Cova de San Vivián, home to the Centro de Interpretación dos Zapateiros in Vilanova dos Infantes. The route, also known as the “Verea Vella,” is 17 kilometers long, and its name is no coincidence: it retraces the historic path that, for generations, the zapateiros of Vilanova dos Infantes traveled on foot to reach Allariz, where they sold the shoes they made in the village and purchased the leather needed to continue their craft.

This route runs between the Arnoia Valley and the foothills of the Sierra de Monte Calvo, crossing part of the municipal boundaries of Celanova, A Bola, A Merca, and Allariz in an area of special ethnographic and natural interest, where water and stone shape the landscape.

The finish line will be at the Museo do Coiro in Allariz, and for the return trip, the organizers will provide registered participants with a bus service back to the starting point.

Registration

Participation requires a registration fee of 8 euros, which can be paid via bank transfer to account number ES87 3070 0004 0786 3990 20624. The route includes two refreshment stations at the 5- and 10-kilometer marks and a light snack at the Museo do Coiro de Allariz. For more information and to register, the organizers have provided several contact numbers listed on the poster, as well as a QR code.